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Surgical site infections in a longitudinal cohort of neonatal intensive care unit patients

Journal of Perinatology volume 36, pages 300–305 (2016)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective:

To estimate the incidence and identify risk factors for surgical site infections (SSIs) among infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Study Design:

A prospective cohort study of infants undergoing surgical procedures from May 2009 to April 2012 in three NICUs was performed. SSI was identified if documented by an attending neonatologist and treated with intravenous antibiotics. Independent risk factors were identified using logistic regression, adjusting for NICU.

Result:

A total of 902 infants underwent 1346 procedures and experienced 60 SSIs (incidence: 4.46/100 surgeries). Risk factors for SSIs included younger chronological age (odds ratio (OR) 1.03 per day decrease, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01, 1.04), lower gestational age (OR 1.09 per week decrease, CI 1.02, 1.18), male sex (OR 1.17, CI 1.04, 1.34) and use of central venous catheter (OR 4.40, CI 1.19, 9.62). Only 43% had surgical site cultures obtained and Staphylococcus aureus was most commonly isolated.

Conclusion:

SSIs complicated 4.46% of procedures performed in the NICU. Although few modifiable risk factors for SSIs were identified, future efforts should focus on evaluating the impact of current prevention strategies on the incidence of neonatal SSI.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research (R010821). We would like to acknowledge the parents and children who participated in this study, as well as the clinical staff who assisted with study procedures. In addition, the authors acknowledge Research Coordinators Julie Fierro, MD and Kateri Leckerman, MS. Supported by National Institute of Nursing Research (R010821).

Author information

Author notes

  1. P A Prasad

    Present address: 8Current address: Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.,

  2. S Patel

    Present address: 9Current address: Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.,

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Infectious Diseases, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    P A Prasad, S E Coffin & T E Zaoutis

  2. School of Nursing, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA

    J Wong-McLoughlin & Y-h Ferng

  3. Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA

    S Patel, L Alba & L Saiman

  4. Department of Infection Prevention and Control, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    S E Coffin

  5. Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    S E Coffin & T E Zaoutis

  6. Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY, USA

    J Perlman & P DeLaMora

  7. Department of Infection Prevention and Control, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA

    L Saiman

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  1. P A Prasad
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to P A Prasad.

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Prasad, P., Wong-McLoughlin, J., Patel, S. et al. Surgical site infections in a longitudinal cohort of neonatal intensive care unit patients. J Perinatol 36, 300–305 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2015.191

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2015.191

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